The support measures of the companies and the employees that were deemed necessary after the imposition of the new lockdown from next Sunday until the end of January were announced today.
Presentation of measures to support employees and the economy by the Minister of Labor, Welfare and Social Insurance Ms. Zeta Aimilianidou:
Conditions for participation in the Project:
Not to have dismissed any employee until the end of March 2021, except for reasons justified by dismissal without notice. It is understood that companies will not be able to lay off employees for financial reasons during the above period. The employer will be obliged to pay contributions to the Funds for which the Social Insurance Services are responsible for collection, 2.8% of the amount of the Special Allowance to be paid to the employees who will participate in the Plan. In the balance of the salary paid by the employer for those who work in the company, the corresponding contributions will be paid, as was the case until now in the Plans. Businesses (hotels / tourist accommodation) that will operate only cafes and restaurants will be considered reactivated. Non-reactivated Enterprises will also be considered the enterprises (hotels / tourist accommodation) that perform maintenance / repair works or other related works that cannot be considered as normal works in the object of the mentioned enterprises. They will not be included in the dates for which applications are submitted, the periods of paid accumulated daily wages and the balance of the paid annual leave of the employees. Certified Public Accountant Report is required.
4. Special Plan of Economic Activities Related to the Tourism Industry or Economic Activities which are directly affected by Tourism
The Scheme in question is addressed to any company (legal entity or separate Employer Registration Number):
- whose economic activity is related to the tourism industry or carries out an economic activity that is directly affected by Tourism
Participation in the Project can be done as follows:
Conditions for participation in the Project:
Not to have dismissed any employee until the end of March 2021, except for reasons justified by dismissal without notice. It is understood that companies will not be able to lay off employees for financial reasons during the above period. The amount that can be paid as a Special Unemployment Benefit for a period of one (1) month, not including Sunday, can not exceed € 1,214 or be less than € 360. The employer will be obliged to pay contributions to the Funds for which the Social Security Services are responsible for collection, 10% of the amount of the Special Allowance to be paid to the employees who will participate in the Plan. The balance of the salary paid by the employer for those who work in the company will be paid and the corresponding contributions, as hitherto in the Plans. Will not be included in the dates for which applications are submitted, the periods of paid accumulated daily wages and the balance of paid annual leave of employees. Certified Public Accountant Report is required.
5. Special Unemployment Support Plan
The Plan is addressed to:
any person who is registered as a regular unemployed person in the Public Employment Service Register throughout the month of January 2021. received an unemployment benefit for which he has exhausted the right to payment within the period from January 2020 to December 2020 and is located in the Republic of Cyprus at the time of implementation of the Special Plans.
The Special Allowance is equal to € 500 for a period of one month and is not provided for any period for which the unemployed person receives unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, maternity benefit, paternity benefit, statutory pension or any benefit from the Special Plans.
6. Special Plan for Certain Categories of Independent Employees
The application for this Special Allowance is submitted by self-employed employees:
i. who are not employers and are registered in the Register of Social Security Services or and
ii. who are employers and employ up to two (2) employees and are registered in the Register of Social Security Services, in one of the following professional categories:
and iii. if they have or anticipate a reduction in turnover of more than 40%, or 80% for those pursuing an economic activity falling under point (11) above, for the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 January 2021 or from 10th to 31st of January 2021 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and the decrease of their turnover is due exclusively to the situation of their company due to the coronavirus COVID 19. In case they were not employed as self-employed during the previous year, then the comparison will be made with a period preceding 1 January 2021 without taking into account any decrease in turnover for the period from 16 March 2020 until 31 December 2020.
It is understood that for the self-employed persons who fall into category (10) above, the reduction of the turnover will concern the period during which according to the Decrees of the Ministry of Health they were under mandatory suspension for the period January 2021, in relation to the corresponding period of the previous year.
This Special Allowance (weekly) will be equal to 60% of the amount of the weekly amount of insurable earnings, based on which the beneficiary was obliged to pay contributions to the Social Insurance Fund for the fourth quarter of 2019. This Special Allowance is not may be less than € 300 and more than € 900 if it covers a period of four weeks.
7. Special Work Absence Allowance
The application for the Special Occupational Absence Allowance is submitted by private sector employers who employ employees who are on the list of patients with risk factors for serious COVID-19 disease, which have been determined by the Ministry of Health in a Press Release date December 29, 2020 or in any future revision and these employees hold a certificate from their personal physician as to the nature of their illness, in a special form posted on the website of the Ministry (www.coronavirus.mlsi.gov.cy) , provided that the employer assures them that the employee may not, due to the nature of his work, work remotely or in a place where they do not trade with the public
Employers participating in any of the Special Plans for the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 January 2021 may not apply for their employees in accordance with the provisions of this Plan, but are required to include them in their applications for these Special Plans. Designs.
For the period for which the Special Absence Allowance will be paid, the employer is released from the obligation to pay the salary to his employees who received the said Special Absence Allowance from Work.
The period of the Special Absence Allowance from Work will be considered a period of simulated insurance for the purposes of contributions to the Social Insurance Fund and the insurance account of the beneficiary will be credited accordingly.
8. Special Work Absence Allowance for Child Care
The application for the Special Child Absenteeism Allowance is submitted by private sector employers who employ employees who are responsible for caring for children up to the age of 15 and / or children with disabilities regardless of age and cannot work with either teleworking or working from home or with flexible hours and if there is no babysitting / childcare provision.
Employers participating in any of the Special Plans for the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 January 2021 may not apply for their employees in accordance with the provisions of this Plan, but are required to include them in their applications for these Special Plans. Designs.
For the period for which the Special Occupational Allowance for Child Care will be paid, the employer is released from the obligation to pay the salary to his employees who received the Special Special Absence from Work for Child Care.
The period of the Special Absence from Work for Child Care will be considered a period of simulated insurance for the purposes of contributions to the Social Insurance Fund and the insurance account of the beneficiary will be credited accordingly.
The Special Work Absence Allowance for Child Care is calculated at 60% of the beneficiary's salary, with a maximum of € 1,214 euros for a period of one month.
The period of provision of the Special Work Absence Allowance for Child Care may not exceed three (3) weeks in total for both parents and the method of calculation presented above will be applied in proportion to the days for which the applicant becomes / three beneficiary.
If one parent receives the Special Child Absenteeism Allowance, the other parent may not receive it for the same period.
